Excludes1 pair
L12.2 vs L13.0
L12.2 and L13.0 are not coded together. ICD-10-CM declares them mutually exclusive with an Excludes1 note — the two conditions are not expected to occur together, so exactly one of them is normally correct for a given encounter. The Official Guidelines carve out one exception: if the two conditions are clearly unrelated to each other, both may be reported.
The official note, declared on L13.0
juvenile dermatitis herpetiformis (L12.2)
L12.2
Chronic bullous disease of childhood
Billable
- Chapter 12
- Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue
- Section
- L10-L14
Use when the record says
- Juvenile dermatitis herpetiformis
Indexed under
- Disease, diseased › chronic bullous of childhood
- Pemphigoid › juvenile
- Dermatitis › herpetiformis › juvenile
- Dermatitis › multiformis › juvenile
- Dermatosis › herpetiformis › juvenile
L13.0
Dermatitis herpetiformis
Billable
- Chapter 12
- Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue
- Section
- L10-L14
Use when the record says
- Duhring's disease
- Hydroa herpetiformis
Indexed under
- Brocq-Duhring disease (dermatitis herpetiformis)
- Duhring's disease (dermatitis herpetiformis)
- Dermatitis › herpetiformis (bullous) (erythematous) (pustular) (vesicular)
- Dermatitis › multiformis
- Dermatitis › neurotica
Excludes1 is not always absolute: where two conditions covered by the note are genuinely unrelated, CMS guidance permits reporting both. Document the reasoning rather than assuming it. More on Excludes1 vs Excludes2 · FY2027